WiFi 6/ 6E technology

The 802.11ax WiFi standard, also called WiFi6 (6th generation), is the answer to the most common challenges of today's WiFi networks. Namely the ever increasing density of client devices as well as a wide range of applications. The solution is not only to increase transmission speeds, as has always been the case with previous generations, but especially to significantly streamline the frequency bands used.

Unlike 802.11ac, which can only take advantage of the 5 GHz band, 802.11ax is also "returning" to the 2.4 GHz spectrum, which it can make better use of. So join us for a look behind the scenes of modern WiFi technology.

The "Secret Sauce of WiFi 6"

OFDMA - also called the "secret sauce of WiFi 6", is clearly the most important innovation and feature coming with WiFi6, according to experts. The orthogonal frequency division multiple access mechanism divides channels into smaller frequency segments, called resource units (RUs). This allows a WiFi Access Point (AP) to synchronise bidirectional communication with multiple individual client devices simultaneously. This is because all existing WiFi technologies work on the principle of only 1 client at a time. So, in layman's terms, it can be imagined as a store where until now only one cash register was always functional at the end (although professional WiFi devices had it more powerful and efficient) and after the new one, multiple cash registers were added, all of them working at the same time. For IT "memorists", the analogy of a 1-core, 1-thread processor versus its multi-core, multi-thread younger siblings will certainly be helpful.

Other important features and benefits of WiFi 6 technology include:

• MU-MIMO (Multi-User MIMO)
• Channel width up to 160 MHz
• 1024-QAM modulation
• TWT - Target Wake Time functionality
• BSS coloring
• Enhanced security (WPA3)

WiFi 6E - the future of wireless networks

Of course, innovations in the field of WiFi do not stop with WiFi 6. Currently, the latest, quite significant "addition" to the WiFi family is making its way among us - namely WiFi 6E.

It is well known that WiFi for the last few years is not so much about speed, but rather about availability, stability and connection quality. The latter has become a big challenge in recent years, especially in dense urban environments. Also, the need to support older devices alongside newer ones has been a significant constraint. "If you put a tractor or an Avie on the motorway, it slows everybody down".

So WiFi 6E technology comes with an entirely new frequency, adding the 6 GHz band to the existing 2.4 and 5 GHz bands. It will therefore allow only the latest devices to connect, while enjoying all the benefits of this technology without restrictions. To use a transport analogy, we are moving from a city ring road to a racing circuit where only cars suitable for the purpose are allowed.

Better to see once than read 100 times, so for those interested in more information and perhaps a little glimpse into the future (WiFi 7), we recommend a lecture by "our" network guru David Coleman: "David Coleman : Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 7 and beyond - All about the spectrum; WLPC Prague 2022, https://youtu.be/HbpD4BRdNvI

Of course, if you have any questions, we would be happy to welcome you to KODYS, where we will put you in the hands of our experts in networking and other modern technologies.